Question 1

Why is it qu'ils instead of que ils?

Accepted Answer

In French, when the word que is followed by a word starting with a vowel sound (like ils), the e is dropped and replaced with an apostrophe. So, est-ce que becomes est-ce qu' right before ils.

Question 2

What does est-ce que actually mean in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Literally, est-ce que translates to "is it that". But in everyday French, it doesn't translate to anything in English. It just acts as a helper phrase (like "do" in "where do they live") that turns a statement into a question. Here, it safely connects the question word Où (Where) to the subject and verb.

Question 3

How do I pronounce habitent? Do I say the -ent at the end?

Accepted Answer

No, you never pronounce the -ent ending on French verbs! For regular -er verbs like habiter, the "they" form (ils or elles) ends in -ent, but those letters are completely silent. You pronounce habitent exactly the same way you pronounce the "he/she" form, habite.

Question 4

Could I use the verb vivre instead of habiter here?

Accepted Answer

Both mean "to live," but they are used slightly differently. Habiter is used specifically for residing in a physical place (like an apartment, street, or city). Vivre is a more general word for being alive or experiencing life. When asking where someone's home is, habiter is the most precise and natural choice.

Où est-ce qu'ils habitent maintenant ?

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